Orlando: How should we respond?
This attack, the most fatal mass shooting in US history to date, has sent shockwaves through both LGBTQ+ and straight communities around the world. And as with so many atrocities that have occurred over the past few years; Sandy Hook, the Paris attacks, the Brussels bombings, there have been waves of reactions from people across social media. In a world so heavily characterised by media, politics and a drive for social justice, it is often difficult to gauge just how we should respond to attacks such as the shooting in Orlando. So lets look at some of these waves that have permeated the internet since Sunday night.
1. The outrage wave
This wave seems to be the most instinctive and the most natural. It consists of everyone's immediate devastation and heartbreak at the course of events. It's the gut-wrenching "oh my god how has this actually happened' feeling, which ultimately persists throughout all the other waves. It is the most human response, one of grief and helplessness. It is this wave of sheer emotion which spreads first.
2. The terrorism wave
Owing to the political rhetoric in the USA at the moment - giant walls, deportation and all (not pointing any fingers...)- and indeed with regards to immigration fears that stem from increased terrorist activity across the globe, as usual, people are extremely quick to link the attack specifically to ISIS and terrorism. Though it has since been suggested that Mateen did indeed pledge allegiance to ISIS before the attack, and he was indeed on the terrorist watch list, the ease with which this fear translates into prejudice against all Muslims is terrifying. The potential for this attack to fuel Trump's political fire, seemingly confirming the public's concern over terrorist activity from Islamic terrorist groups, is very real. Yes it was an act of terrorism, but to label it as an ISIS led terrorist act would be incorrect - we just don't know.
3. The generalisation wave
This wave was interesting to me. In light of the terrorism wave, there became a tendency for people to label this as an 'attack on all people', presumably intended to highlight the issues of violent gun use in America, and its ability to disrupt everyone in their daily lives should weapons fall into the wrong hands (I say 'fall' like they got the gun by chance.... perhaps 'be purchased more easily than healthcare' should replace that...). Owen Jones, author of best-selling book The Establishment: And how they get away with it, rightfully objected to this generalisation wave, and emphasised the attack for what it was.... which brings us to wave 3.
3. The context wave
Yes this was an act of terrorism, but it was also an explicitly homophobic act. Mateen was reported to have become extremely angry at the sight of 2 men kissing in Miami prior to the attack, and co-workers also corroborated reports of his homophobic attitudes. This wave of context also highlighted really what this attack meant for the LGBTQ+ community. As a community who have historically been heavily discriminated against, gay clubs have long been considered safe havens for LGBTQ+ individuals. The idea that Mateen caused such fear and devastation in a setting typically associated with safety and trust to the LGBTQ+ community was a point not to be overlooked. Moreover, as Tyler Oakley so rightly pointed out, many of the club-goers on Sunday night may have been closeted, viewing Pulse as somewhere where they could go to be themselves without fear of discrimination or prejudice. The context wave is important. It gives justice to the victims to recognise this attack for what it was. This was not an attack on all people, this was an attack on the LGBTQ+ community, beside which the straight community should stand and grieve with them.
4. The political wave
Off the back of this debate, comes the inevitable discussion about gun law. I'm always fascinated by the American psyche surrounding guns. The right to bear arms is so engrained in their culture that any threats to the second amendment warrant very strong reactions from the public, to the point where shares in gun companies rise after mass shootings, for fear of the right to bear arms being taken away. I recently watched a video of Obama responding to a question from a gentleman concerned about this very issue. He calmly and eloquently articulated that the reason change surrounding gun laws has been so slow, is that any attempt to impose simple changes - such as not letting individuals on the terrorist watch list purchase guns - is met with such hostility because the general public view it as a direct attack on their right to bear arms and believe congress want to take away their guns altogether. So with this discussion around the politics implicated by the attack, the 5th wave takes place.
5. The call to action wave
What I've noticed, is that once people on social media worked their way through waves 1-4, the resolve that everyone comes to, is one of action, hence wave 5. Apathy and indifference, it would seem, are just not an option. For many, senators tweeting their "thoughts and prayers" were publicly contradicted by people highlighting the fact that those very senators voted against gun background checks previously. The conviction that the people themselves have the power to get up and facilitate change, both in social zeitgeist and legislation, is beginning to take hold. I've seen individuals of influence - Youtubers specifically (perhaps fuelled further by the loss of Christina Grimmie just a day earlier) - plead with their audiences to actually go out and make a change. To tweet their representatives, to donate blood, to stand in solidarity with the victims and their families, and refuse to give into the fear and division that Mateen's attack triggered. People are making an active effort to remember the victims specifically, with their names and stories dominating many news reports.
Something that I'm realising, is that regardless of whether waves 1-4 are positive or negative for the atrocity in question, they are often necessary in order to stimulate healthy debate about events such as the Orlando shooting. You need to work through them in order to formulate an appropriate response to such a tragedy. And regardless of which waves people advocate and bring forward to the debate, more often than not, they should all culminate in wave 5. When we experience wave 1 of outrage, it's so easy to just express that on social media, and talk about how we feel until the cows come home, but it is how we step forward and take action after an event like this, that defines not only us, but also the historical poignance of the event. Wouldn't it be amazing if, in 50 years time, this shooting was a benchmark date in the history textbooks as the beginning of real gun law reform. (Hundreds of years late, don't get me wrong, but better late than never).
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